Tag: Jesus

The art of
the handwritten note is one of those practices that has been diminished by easier,
quicker options to communicate. I know that I am guilty of it, even though I
set the intention to send personalized notes. When we can email, text, or
contact through social media, we are able to express our thoughts in an array
of quicker, more immediate options.

There is
just something about a handwritten note though. It is the next best thing to
having the person that wrote it standing right next to you. It can convey a
simple message in the voice of the person writing it. It reminds us that someone
took the time to reach out to us and remember us. It is something you can keep.

One of my
most prized Christmas gifts is an ELW. Yes, you heard me right, an Evangelical
Lutheran Worship Hymnal! Just like the ones in the pews in front of you. Why
does it mean so much? It is because it was from my pastor a couple years before
I started seminary and I was in the midst of starting the candidacy process. It
is a prized gift because he wrote a personal note in the front cover. Reminding
me that where ever the Spirit may lead me, I am blessed and am a blessing!

I have
another note that I have kept for nearly 25 years that I received at my high
school graduation from my fourth-grade teacher along with a dictionary. In it,
she reminded me that I am part of a very special family. God does the same for
us through scripture as we are called and named by a loving God that has come
down to earth to accompany us in our daily walk.

Notes like
these can touch us and help guide us in times of uncertainty and fear. They
give us reassurance when self-doubt creeps in. As we are reminded this morning
of Jesus’ baptism, we also rejoice in ours. However, let’s be honest, it is
often easy to forget those words that were spoken to us in our own baptisms and
as we reaffirm them on different occasions. When we look at the world around us
and the evil that persists, we can easily be baptized in fear. A fear that
drives us away from everything that Christ stands for. We forget everything in
those moments that we are baptized in fear. We forget our heritage. We forget
our names, who we are called to be. We forget our purpose. We even forget those
resources in which we have been entrusted.

The people of
Israel that the prophets spoke to also were no strangers to fear. In Isaiah we
are presented with a story of our ancestors living in exile and anticipating a
return home, if not for themselves, at least for the generations that follow. They
are gripped by fear and a feeling of isolation. Wondering where to turn next
and wondering if things will ever get any better. The story in Isaiah spans a
couple of hundred years from the time they are taken into exile in Babylon
until the time they return to their homeland. They went from an independent people
to ones that were conquered. No wonder, they are living in fear and uncertainty.

Amid their
exile, they are reminded that they are loved. The beginning of this chapter in
Isaiah can be read like one of those personal notes. It reminds them that they
are special and that they are very much a part of God’s glorious creation and are
personally called. This passage from Isaiah brings hope to a nation that is in
turmoil. It gives hope for the time to come.

It not only
speaks to those living in exile, it also reaches across millennia and is an
incredible reminder for today. We too, are called personally into a life with
God. We too have been created. We too have been formed. We too have been
redeemed. We too have been called. In these actions by God, we are reminded
that we are precious and honored. These are all words that we should be reminded
of and listen to daily. Each one of you has been created and called by God and are
worthy of the love of God. In this love, you are called to live into a
relationship with God that has come down to earth in the form of Jesus Christ.

We should
not be overly concerned about what happens when we die. We should be concerned
about how we are living our life today! Isaiah reminds the people who they are and
whose they are despite their sins. We too should remember who and whose we are
when we are confronted with the fears of society and be reminded of the love of
God that came down to earth for us in Jesus Christ.

In his
baptism, Jesus hears the words, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am
well pleased.” In the water of our own
baptisms we too were reminded that we are children of God and we are loved, now
and forevermore. May these words wash over you every chance they get, so that you
remember you are beloved and with you, God is pleased.

Let us pray.
God of the waters, we fall prey to shortsightedness every time we let fear
guide our thoughts and actions. May you guide us with your love as we affirm
our baptisms and walk in your light. Amen.

My family
likes to play games. From card games, board games, and even more recently role-playing
games. Doing so, we have the opportunity to enjoy one another’s company, share
in laughter, and grab bragging rights for the next time that we play.

However,
there have been times when we have played that someone has joined us that does
not like to lose. They attempt to change the rules midstream so that they also
end up on top and will never be the loser. The desire to win often times brings
frustration and confusion to the other friends and family that are attempting
to play the game honestly. Even when this is brought to the attention of the
arrogant player, they still seem to be in the dark. In their desire to remain
on top, they alienate themselves and wonder why they are left in the dark as
everyone else moves on to have a good time doing something else. Where does the
joy come from when one must trick others to guarantee yourself a winner?

The magi
have no desire to be left in the dark as they transcend their role to pay homage
to the newborn king. The magi are a reminder for us that Jesus, the newborn
king, brings light to the world for all to see.

The magi are
a living example of what it means to live in the time of Advent. In the gospel
this morning we are told of the gifts that they shared with Jesus, but they
have also been able to utilize the gifts of waiting, seeking, and discovery.
They were waiting for the light to appear, and the star that has risen in the
sky is a sign for them to seek out the newborn king. With this new information,
they are able to venture out into the vastness that lies between them and Jesus
to discover the light born into the world in the form of a child.

Herod, on
the other hand, is the antithesis of Advent. In the story of Herod, we receive a
message of rejection, fear, and refusal of the light. While Herod is Jewish
himself, he was made a client king by the Roman rulers, so that they could
appease people in the hopes that he would connect better to the people of Judea.
By the time word of Jesus’ birth comes to his ears through the magi, he has
been ruling for nearly forty years. His time ruling has been plagued in fear of
losing the kingship and the executions of his own family to ensure that he
remains in power. In the magi’s message, Herod is once again gripped by the
fear of a change that could come to Judea. A change that could result in him
losing his authority as king. We can nearly sense the refusal in Herod’s
reactions to see the light that has come to the world in which the magi are now
seeking.

When we
become fearful of change, loss, and even comfort, we can be hindered in our
daily lives from opening our eyes to the light of Christ all around us. At
times we struggle with putting our fears aside so that we can experience the
light that God offers to us. We much rather cling to false hopes and
self-preservation instead of seeking the light in others. When we refuse to see
Christ in our sisters and brothers, we walk the same line as Herod!

There is an
incredible message waiting for us in Matthew today. It is a message of welcome.
It is a message that God does not stop at any barrier. God breaks down stereo
types and reaches out to shine the light far and wide. The shepherds were sent
an angelic choir to sing the praises of the newborn king. To the magi a star
appears in the sky to guide them to the light of the world that illuminates the
darkness. Even Herod is given the sign of the magi that are going to share
gifts worthy of a king; only his jealousy blocks the light for him to see.

Jesus’
ministry will be one of reaching out to those that are on the outskirts of
society. Those that have been frowned upon and those that others will not give
the time of day. He chooses to eat with the poor, the excluded, the sick, the
lonely, prostitutes, and even tax collectors!

In the
bearing of gifts worthy of a king, the magi and all of humanity receive
something much greater, the light of the world. That light is revealed to us
through our own epiphanies. Perhaps, we see it in the eyes of our significant
other, in the first cry of our own children when they were born. Perhaps we
have even seen it in the last breaths of a loved one as they have come at least
to peace in the hands of a loving God. Do we share these experiences and spread
the good news?

The magi
receive word in a dream that they must not return to Herod and report what they
have seen. Instead they go a different route. What route has Jesus called us to
follow as we listen to the Word today? We have moved through Advent into
Christmas and now Epiphany to experience and be the light. May you all find the
route Jesus is calling you to follow as you enter this new year with hope and a
promise of the Light that has come into the world.

Let us pray.
God of light, may we be guided as the magi were guided to find and pay homage to
your newborn son. May we be bearers of this same light in our lives so that
others may experience the love of Christ through our words and actions. Amen.

Special Thanks to Sanctified Art for their Advent and Christmas Themes

December 24, 2018
Christmas Eve

Luke 2:1-20

This evening we are ushered into the great story of Christmas. Luke welcomes us into the story by sharing what it was like in “those days.” Time was tracked by the time of the current ruler, as in Jesus’ case, it was Emperor Augustus. It would be like me stating today that I was born in the time Gerald Ford was President of the United States, or my children were born in the time of George W. Bush being President.

We have all experienced birth in some form or another.
Whether it be yourself or a family member. It can be scary and raise levels of
anxiety. Yet, more often than not, it brings times of great joy and quite often
a shift in lifestyle. It does not take long to learn that there is something
different about the birth we are rejoicing tonight. In all of its ordinariness,
we are illuminated by the glory of angels singing and a great light shining all
around. Love drew nearer to humanity over two thousand years ago than it had
ever been. In the birth of the Messiah, the light reaches to the darkest
recesses to share the good news with all people.

We are reminded in our first lesson from Isaiah that there
was disharmony among the people. The people of Israel were being oppressed by
Assyria, and in First Century Israel, the oppression came from the Roman
Empire. There is a darkness that overshadows everything, and the people are just
waiting for something great to happen. They are seeking freedom from their
oppressors. There is a pervasiveness that comes with the darkness that seems to
extend through time; from the very beginning of creation to the world in which
Mary and Joseph find themselves trying to find a place to stay.

You would think that Joseph returning to the town of his family, Bethlehem, there would still be some relatives around that would welcome in Joseph and Mary. At the least, there would have been other family members that had to make the same trek. However, is the obvious pregnancy of Mary, due any day now, turning his family away? It is possible that they were ashamed of what they saw, knowing that Mary and Joseph had yet to be wed.

The hospitality that they are hoping to find leaves them on
the outside. On the outside of a warm meal. On the outside of a warm bed and a
comfortable place to sleep and prepare for the birth. On the outside of the
love of family that they were probably longing for. This is the darkness that
they were experiencing.

We feel that same darkness when we are not welcome and are
left on the outside looking in. We crave to be part of something and yet it
seems out of our reach. We long for a hospitality that will embrace us where we
are and as we are.

While Mary and Joseph are looking for a place to stay, the
plans for them are not yet complete. While no one welcomes them, they will soon
be the ones to welcome others into the glory that has been proclaimed to them.
The shepherds hear of the great news and come to see for themselves. Mary and
Joseph are stunned to find out what they know. In their hospitality, they have
allowed others into the great wonder that is now part of their story.

We are told that, “Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart.” She knew what was to take place as the angel had
told her before she was pregnant. It is in the words of the shepherds that she
is affirmed, and their words bring a reality to the whole thing. Those words
she held dearly, as she knew that her son was destined for something much
greater than she could ever imagine. As the love of God drew near to everyone
close to the manger that evening over two thousand years ago, it is a love that
has never left us. That love is drawn here in our very hearts and welcomes us
into something great and mysterious at the very same time.

That love is here when we wonder. That love is here when we
seek the truth. That love is here when we reach out to the neighbor and
stranger alike in justice. That love is here this very night as we draw nearer
to one another. This love that is drawn here extends out to all of creation as
we welcome the birth of the Messiah, and we ourselves are welcomed into the
great love of God.

Let us pray. Prince of Peace, we rejoice in your birth and
the love you brought from all corners of the earth. May the light that you
bring to the darkness comfort us and bring us peace. Amen.

My previous career as a sales rep introduced me to a lot of people. Each of these people had their own personalities that ranged from mellow to off the wall. A man atone of the accounts that I called on would share stories that were so off the wall, you would think that he was making them up just to see if you would fall for it. I would start to question whether or not he was telling me was the truth. Of course, wanting the sale, I would just nod along with him in agreement.

I am sure that you have all encountered someone like this. Someone that bends the truth so much that there is no resemblance to the facts. I imagine that John the Baptist had many people questioning him. If you remember Matthew and Mark’s description of John the Baptist, they described him looking more like someone you would associate as homeless. He wore a coat of camel hair and ate locusts and wild honey. He also was most likely not the first one trying to foretell the coming of the Lord. Now, his image in this drawing may make you pause. He may not be the first person you would walk up to if you had a question.

However, he knew what he was saying was true. He drew many people near him in his proclamation.And in his bold proclamation, he points to the truth that is revealed in our true Lord, Jesus Christ. In John preparing the way, we are drawn near to that truth.

Not everyone was amused with John. Can you imagine the push back he received from some when he proclaimed that he was preparing the way for the Lord who was to come after him? I am sure that he was mocked and ridiculed. I am sure that some people turned their backs on him because what he was saying they did not want to hear.They already had their way set in front of them and there was no way that they were going to follow him down the detour that he was instructing they take. There was no way this man that looked like he was probably better left out by himself was going to call people to follow him and surely, he was not talking about the long-awaited messiah.

John the Baptist was calling people out of their comfort zones. He was naming their fears and telling them to face them straight on. While we know he did have some followers, I am sure that he made just as many, if not more, very uneasy.

When someone comes to us and tells us something that we do not agree with, quite often we put up some type of boundary and block them out. We pretend that we do not hear them because we “know” our way is the only way. Please don’t re-route us,because the path we are on is the one with least resistance. We don’t want to be challenged to go over the higher mountains and through the deepest valleys. We would much rather take the easy road, not the road least traveled.

That is the problem. We don’t want to be challenged. We don’t want to go against the grain.However, this is where Jesus found himself through his entire earthly journey. Today,it seems that Jesus is the road less traveled. If we were to truly follow Jesus words today, we would truly be living counter to our current society.

In the midst of what was happening in 1st Century Israel, John the Baptist had no reservations of calling out to those that were willing to listen. He did not care about the Roman authorities that ruled or the temple leaders that at times seemed distant from God. His voice spoke boldly and proclaimed the great things that were about to happen. He cried out in the wilderness to ensure that everyone heard the wonderful news he was about to share. The beginning of the good news of Jesus.

We too are called to listen! There is a voice crying out in the wilderness still today. It is a voice that calls all of us into God’s loving embrace. An embrace that meets us where we are at. The voice that cries out is present when we take time to sit with God in prayer. It is also present in and among our daily actions as we live out our lives. Have you heard the voice that calls you into love? Have you heard the voice that calls you to reach out and help your neighbor? Have you heard the voice that breaks through the barriers to share the gospel?

In Jesus,the crooked roads that we find ourselves on are going to be made straight and the rough roads are going to be paved over. In Jesus, our old ways are washed clean and we are refreshed and given a new road map. We are called to a new way of living. We are called to a new way of being.

The awesome thing is that when this happens, “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” With every step we take this Advent season, we are being drawn near to the truth that is Jesus Christ.

Let us pray. Jesus, you are the way, the truth, and the life. May we find our way in you and be less distracted by those things on our peripheries. And may you guide us in preparing the way for others. Amen.

I grew up in the city. Fortunately, the city of Charlotte is not real big, and I lived just on the edge. Therefore, you could go in the back yard and not worry about the light pollution. This meant that whenever there was a meteor shower or comet,we could usually see the event unless it was cloudy. I would lay out in the yard and look up to the stars and wonder in amazement at how it was all created and wonder what existed beyond the earth.

Advent is a time of wonder. The promise of God is going to be fulfilled in Jesus and we anticipate being able to celebrate that very coming on Christmas. In our gospel lesson, Jesus encourages us to raise our heads to look beyond our pains and adversity, so that we can live in the hope and anticipation of his coming into the world.

The problem that we can run into is that we are so distracted with our lists and things that need to be done before Christmas arrives that we forget to wonder! Some of us may have even forgot what it meant to wonder many years ago. We get caught up in work and chores and running kids here and there that we lose the sense of wonder that comes into this world as a newborn baby.

This lesson from Luke seems to be a strange selection as we open up the Advent season. We are anticipating a newborn, and Jesus foretells of the time to come after he dies. The time Jesus speaks of does not sound like one we would get in line to participate in. Who wants to live among the fear and distress of the world? Yet,the gospel also reminds us to be ready at all times. No matter, what it is we are anticipating. Jesus tells those listening to, “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly” (vs 34). He was making sure that they were awakened from their own stupor. I am sure there were many that were walking around with their heads down and not paying attention to the things that were happening around them. They too, were distracted.

We are guilty of the very things that Jesus names. We worry about the day to day issues that affect our lives. We all become drunk in our own ways. That drunkenness could come in many forms. Being so caught up in one thing that we forget to do the things that truly matter. We let time slip away and with that we could spend more time with the people that we should be loving and caring for. We become drunk on those things that distract us from being in relationship with God and in turn fall short of living out that relationship with others.

In response to any distress that we may encounter, Jesus tells us that he will be present to bring us that sign of hope we are looking for. That sign that first came into the world with his birth. He calls us to raise our heads and look up to the signs and know that our redemption is drawing. It is a redemption that is found in Christ. We are redeemed through the grace of God through the blood and life shed on the cross.

While Jesus speaks of signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, we are also reminded of his presence. A presence that will never leave us. Even when the earth and the heavens pass away, his words will never pass away. His words of hope and redemption that comes to all of humanity are the ones that we look towards in wonder. A wonder that guides us and carries us through difficult times. While it seems that we will always have bad things happening around us, Jesus comes with the reminder to raise our heads and be courageous to face those adversities knowing that we are redeemed through his saving grace.

We are called into his presence to wonder. The wonder draws our heads up from the distractions and brings us closer to a loving God that chose to be born in this world so that we would know God’s love. To wonder, draws us near to the mystery of God. How are you going to wonder this Advent season?

Let us pray. God of Wonder, be our guiding star in these days of Advent as the day light gets shortened as well as our patience as we wrestle the lines at the stores. We rejoice as we begin to draw near to you in this time of waiting. Amen.

It aired in the early to mid-eighties and was about a wealthy business owner that finds out he has a 12-year old son, Ricky. The lifestyle that Ricky learns to become accustom was a major part of the show. I wanted that same lifestyle after watching the show, and in a way, I did have it. I did not need to worry about where food or the necessities of life came from. And quite often, if I wanted something, I would usually get it. This was great as a kid. However, it taught me very little about the value of money. As soon as I turned 16, I got my first job and spent money nearly as quickly as I earned it. I did have a savings account, but it was quite often in need of a little tender loving care. I may not have been completely greedy, but my priorities were not always in the right place.

The values that we learn growing up quite often follow us into adulthood. There is possibility for change. Surrounding ourselves with the right people makes a big difference and at times can require us to step outside of our comfort zone. It is here, that we can learn a lot from Jesus. While quite often we are concerned about the end game, are we going to get into heaven; Jesus is concerned about how we are living our life today.

This morning we are given the story of two widows. First, in 1 Kings, Elijah is instructed by the Lord to find the widow and ask her to provide him with sustenance so that he may continue in his travels. There is a little hesitancy on her part as she just has enough meal and oil to make a loaf of bread for herself and her son as they prepare to die because of the drought.

In our gospel lesson this morning, it is a widow that gives to the offering in the temple. She is not concerned with her appearance or anything of that sort. Her story is a counter to the one of the scribes at the beginning of the lesson. The scribes are more concerned about how they look, that they garner respect from others in the marketplace, and that they have the best seats in the synagogue and at the banquet tables. It is the scribes that take advantage of the widows of their time. It appears that their chief concern is the light that shines on them. The scribes’ greed overshadows any concern that they may possibly have for their neighbors.

So, when we think about greed in our society today, it is nothing new. Greed stems back to the beginning of humanity. Many of our problems today can be rooted in the greed that is fostered within our culture and the lack of care that is shown for the least in society. Our society is only going to be made better when we reach out and help our fellow brothers and sisters when they need it the most. Greed is not healthy, and it strains the very fabric of our beings. It is witnessed throughout society and one popular film I grew up watching is full of greed. That film is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, of course, the older version with Gene Wilder. The children portrayed in the movie are all about the greed: Augustus Gloop cannot get enough chocolate; Violet Beauregarde needs to have a piece of chewing gum because she thinks she is entitled to it; Veruca Salt wants a golden goose and she wants it now; Mike Teavee needs to be in the spotlight. Charlie Bucket is not immune to the greed either as him and Grandpa Joe can’t stop their desire to try the Fizzy Lifting Drinks.

Yet, it is Charlies actions that are like the widow in the gospel lesson that he hands everything back over to Willy Wonka. His family’s future could have been all made if he just took the everlasting gobstopper to Mr. Slugworth!

Jesus is the one that speaks up for the children, widows, and those on the fringes of society. The widow placing her two coins into the offering plate reflects the love that she has for God, because she knows she is loved. It is the same with the widow that is willing to give all she has to Elijah. In their faith, they trust that there will be enough. Shane Claiborne makes the comment in our series we have been using, that “God made enough for everyone’s need, not enough for everyone’s greed.”

We are all here this morning because of our faith. A faith that has been instilled within us from the time we encountered the Holy Trinity in the waters of baptism. In Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are reassured of new life and every time we encounter communion, we are reminded of Jesus’ saving grace and his love for us. May we remember his generosity as we give freely of ourselves.

Let us pray. God of love, we give thanks for the stories of the widows in our lessons this morning. May their devotion and faith be a foundation for us to build our faith. May our generosity come through the love that we have for you. Amen

“In Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all these people, that they were mine and I theirs, that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers. It was like waking from a dream of separateness, of spurious self-isolation in a special world. . . .

This sense of liberation from an illusory difference was such a relief and such a joy to me that I almost laughed out loud. . . . I have the immense joy of being man, a member of a race in which God Himself became incarnate. As if the sorrows and stupidities of the human condition could overwhelm me, now that I realize what we all are. And if only everybody could realize this! But it cannot be explained. There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.

Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts, the depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire nor self-knowledge can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God’s eyes. If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed. . . . But this cannot be seen, only believed and ‘understood’ by a peculiar gift.”

This quote from Thomas Merton comes from his book, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander. It provides a vision of what we want to see in a community. The realization of everyone living together as one. In Jesus Christ, we are called to live together in community with our brother and sisters, loving and supporting the other.

We can come to the realization that Thomas Merton does, however, we first encounter brokenness and despair. For the people of Bethany, the people are mourning the loss of Lazarus. Mary and Martha are at a loss because they were hoping that Jesus may come to help heal their brother the same way that he has healed many others throughout the countryside. It is Mary that we hear say to Jesus, “If only you were here!” Mary knows Jesus and the power and authority to heal and if he would have been present at the time her brother died, he would still be alive. In the brokenness that the community of Bethany has encountered, doubt begins to set in and people begin to wonder if Jesus truly is able to do the things he has promised. In a way, they have excluded Jesus from their community and set their sites on the truth that Lazarus is dead.

It is easy for us to exclude people from community. We don’t invite them in. We ignore them. Amid this, we experience brokenness. At times it appears our communities are torn apart. It can happen at any time. It can happen during natural disasters, like hurricane Michael in Florida. It can happen in mass shootings like at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh a little over a week ago. We are bombarded with reminders that heaven has not came to earth yet and that our world is still full of evil. From the outside, it appears that communities are easily shattered.

Despite the evil that pervades us, communities are present to raise up those that need a boost. We may quickly hear of the death and destruction, but the community that is quite often raised up from it is even greater. Communities are made stronger as they struggle together and look for a sense of belonging, safety, companionship, and relationship. New communities, or at least new realizations of communities, have arose time and time again out of the death and destruction that we quite often hear of through the news. The communities that come through these struggles are transformed into a new thing as they grow and are challenged. They get better together.

While Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, the community rejoices. It is a sign of God’s saving grace that has come to reside in their community. It is a chance to witness Jesus and the healing he is bringing to the world. Jesus does not unbind Lazarus, he calls the community to work together to unbind him. It is God coming to live among mortals as we read in Revelation.

The church is a place of community if we are open with one another and support one another in our struggles and temptations. We can be present for one another when we do not know where else to turn. We can bring love and support in the name of Jesus Christ.

If we are honestly following the word of God, we are brought to a sense of community as we learn to love our sisters and brothers. The city of Pittsburgh has come together in the aftermath of the shooting last weekend at Tree of Life and the local Islamic center had raised over $70,000 in the first few days following the tragedy. The communities in Florida devastated by Hurricane Michael are banding together to support one another along with disaster relief organizations throughout the country.

In Richmond, we practice living in community by supporting MCREST, and working with our neighbors from other churches. Community comes in many forms. Thomas Merton’s vision of seeing each other as God sees us, is what living into community is all about. As he says, if we did see everyone this way, “There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed.”

It is in the promise of the Resurrection, that Jesus welcomes us to a new life. A life surrounded by all the saints that have gone before us. A life that is brimming over with the goodness of God and we are embraced for eternity.

Let us pray. God, you draw us in to community to be with one another so that we may see Christ in our sisters and brothers. May you continue to be present with us in our brokenness and provide a peace that comes by gathering together. Amen.